THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



211 



in its broadest aspects, ashore as well as 

 afloat, it will be necessary to depend upon 

 foreigners with the requisite experience. 

 Therefore, we are taking steps to es- 

 tablish vocational and college courses 

 throughout the nation. There will be 

 courses in specific trades suited to men 

 already at work in shipping offices, and 

 on docks and railroads, fitting them 

 through concentrated night study for 

 'advancement in their present positions. 

 And there will be college courses for men 

 who wish to prepare for ship operation, 

 port management, foreign trade, consul- 

 ships, and the like. 



So, out of our present ocean supply 

 train for the army abroad, there are 

 growing many possibilities and opportu- 

 nities. 



CREDITABLE PROGRESS IN THE FACE OF 

 GREAT DIFFICULTIES 



Looking back twelve months to the 

 time when we faced the task of building 

 150 new shipyards for merchant tonnage, 

 and when only two complete new ships 

 had been delivered to the Shipping 

 Board, I feel that we have not only made 

 creditable progress against overwhelming 

 difficulties, but that the thought of the 

 nation has followed us, and made even 

 greater progress in the building of sound 

 public opinion. 



Looking ahead to the coming year, I 

 feel that we shall make even greater 

 progress in ship operation and the devel- 

 opment of a real merchant marine. It is 

 logical to assume that the quick war-time 

 intelligence of the nation will keep pace 

 with us during the coming months, and 

 that a year hence, when the American 

 merchant marine is a physical actuality, 

 there will be a backing of national public 

 opinion equal to the support of our ships, 

 their profitable operation, the making of 

 any adjustment in laws that may be nec- 

 essary, and the development of foreign 

 trade to make the American merchant 

 marine a permanent institution. 



We are awake once more on this sub- 

 ject of ships and shall not go to sleep 



again, any more than we shall go to sleep 

 in the automobile industry, or railroad- 

 ing, or aircraft, or military preparedness. 



War has taught every class of Amer- 

 ican producer the vital importance of 

 ships. The American farmer, for ex- 

 ample, has suffered from lack of ocean 

 tonnage during the war in selling his spe- 

 cialties, such as fruit, and has also 

 suffered for lack of fertilizers. Today 

 he knows what ships mean in farming 

 and is looking ahead not only to the pro- 

 tection of the American merchant ma- 

 rine, but will use it to extend his busi- 

 ness. For instance, we are building 

 many refrigerator ships to carry beef to 

 the war zone, and these will be useful 

 after the war to sell red apples, Califor- 

 nia and Florida oranges, dairy products, 

 and the like of the American farmers. 



We are building army transports which 

 after the war will be converted into cargo- 

 and-passenger liners to South America 

 and other regions, furnishing quick de- 

 livery service for the American stockman 

 to sell valuable breeding animals abroad. 



MERCHANT MARINE VITAL TO NATION^ 

 WELFARE 



The manufacturer has felt the pinch of 

 scarce ocean tonnage to even a greater de- 

 gree, both for the sale of his products 

 abroad and the import of his raw ma- 

 terials. Today he knows the value of 

 ships and understands that an American 

 merchant marine is vital to the national 

 welfare. It is not wholly a matter of 

 cost. He wants the facilities. He wants 

 American ships for protection against 

 emergencies and he wants them for the 

 direct high-class ocean service on Amer- 

 ican trade routes which will enable him 

 to reach new customers, build new trade, 

 and hold it. 



What people want they usually get. 

 The American people today are alert to 

 the importance of ships, and our national 

 business genius will be equal to working 

 out all the problems and overcoming all 

 the difficulties. 



